Sharp Flattens LCD TV Prices

Mahwah, N.J. - Sharp Electronics announced it has cut prices by 10 to 18 percent on its line of 10-, 13-, 15- and 20-inch Aquos LCD televisions, resulting in the first under $1,000 price point for a Sharp 10-inch model.

The company said the price cuts were the 'direct result of enhanced worldwide consumer sales. and improved production efficiencies at the new LCD manufacturing facility in Mie, Japan. The Aquos line was introduced at that start of the summer.

The move also comes in time to enhance the appeal of the products just prior to the critical holiday selling season, the company said.

The new suggested retail pricing for Aquos LCD TVs are as follows:

* The 10-inch LC-10A3U (formerly $1,099.95) is now $999.95.

* The 13-inch LC-13B2U (formerly $1,599.95) is now $1,299.95.

*The 15-inch LC-15B2U (formerly $2,299.95) is now $1,999.95.

*The 20-inch LC-20B2U (formerly $3,999.95) is now $3,299.95.

Meanwhile, Sharp announced in Tokyo that it would begin selling large plasma display panels (PDPs) manufactured by Pioneer. The plasma panel relationship is an extension of cooperative efforts between the two companies, which have had or continue to have reciprocal manufacturing and sales relationships in the areas of digital television monitors, DTV set-top decoders and DVD equipment. According to reports out of Japan, Sharp expects combined sales of about 1,000 PDP televisions a month.

Sharp has aggressively targeted the flat-panel TV market, with plans to launch large LCD televisions of 35 to 40 inches and eventually to switch all of its TV production to flat panels by the business year to March 2006.